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American Farriers Journal

April 2015 AFJ

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April 2015

Volume: 41
Edition: 3

American Farriers Journal is the “hands-on” magazine for professional farriers, equine veterinarians and horse care product and service buyers.

  • Table Of Contents

    Table Of Contents

    Frankly Speaking

    Reputations Suffer When Facebook Goes Awry

    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices
    Among social media sites, Facebook far and away is the most popular among farriers. In part, this popularity is based on two benefits of Facebook: promoting businesses on a local level and discussing footcare with peers on an international stage. But there is a responsibility to conduct oneself as a professional on Facebook to protect that business.
    Read More

    Briefings

    April 1, 2015 | Posted in Education
    The American Association of Equine Practitioners reminds owners that vigilance demands proper communication among all barn workers at the outset of an outbreak.
    Read More
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    American Farriers Journal Launches New Website

    Featuring a clean, organized look with easily searchable content, americanfarriers.com is the largest depository of American Farriers Journal information on the Internet with new features and upgrades
    April 1, 2014 | Posted in Education
    American Farriers Journal readers looking for the latest news, valuable tips and best practices on running a successful farrier practice, will now be able to access the largest source of news and insights with the click of a mouse.
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    Different Approaches To An Old Problem

    By Red Renchin posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Diseases
    The scenario can begin in different ways. One involves you pulling the shoes, trimming the feet and noticing a small cavity just inside the white line. Picking up a nail, you give it a scratch and a powder-like substance comes out. More scratching leaves you part way up the hoof wall. Another involves having a horse with hoof walls separating in the most distal part of the foot. While probing the separation, you discover that not only is it separated at the bottom, it goes much higher.
    Read More

    Get Help with an Unruly Horse

    A veterinarian describes how the Dormosedan Gel sedative works and gives tips for handling the drug safely and effectively
    By Jaime Elftman posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices, Education
    Though it was first introduced 5 years ago, Zoetis' Dormosedan Gel is still relatively new to many farriers. It is a drug that works to gain a sedated state in horses.
    Read More

    Helping Horses With Hoof Packing

    Manufacturer representatives and farriers share suggestions for success when using various products and educating owners
    April 1, 2015 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    Oakum and pine tar have been packing material longer than anyone can remember and other ingredients like Venice turpentine, Epsom salt and iodine have been included in hoof packing for a long time, as well. Through the years, companies have introduced compounds that are effective in various needs for packing by providing some protection, support and treatment of the area.
    Read More
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    How To Match Nails To Your Horseshoes

    Considering these points when selecting which nail to use will result in making a better choice
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Equipment
    No one in their right mind would suggest that the anatomy of the horseshoe nail is as complex as the horse. Nonetheless, Steve Kraus says it is important for farriers to understand the parts of the nail to make decisions in why to use a particular type. The Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center clinician delivered a swift review of horseshoe nails at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit.
    Read More

    Find A Place For Synthetics In Your Shoeing Arsenal

    Sometime in its lifetime, every horse may benefit from wearing a synthetic shoe
    By Frank Lessiter posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    Even if you've relied extensively on steel and aluminum shoes for years, maybe it's time to take a break from tradition. By carrying a few synthetic shoes in your rig, you might come up with a few innovations to deal with troublesome footcare concerns that occasionally show up with some of the horses you regularly work with.
    Read More

    Quicked Horse Unleashes “Cascade Of Events”

    Colorado duo wades through abscesses, undermined soles and a difficult owner
    By Jeff Cota posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Therapeutic Shoeing
    Quicking a horse happens to the best of farriers. In most cases, the wound is cleaned, disinfected and the horse is no worse for wear. That didn’t happen when Cricket McLaren accidentally drew blood on Will, a 3-year-old Thoroughbred. In fact, it was the start of what the Eagle, Colo., farrier calls a “cascade of events” that highlights the importance of a strong veterinarian-farrier relationship, such as the one he has with equine veterinarian Courtney Diehl of Steamboat Springs, Colo.
    Read More
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    Product Innovation

    How 3D Printing is Advancing Hoof Care

    This technology aids the understanding of anatomy and shows promise with improving equine health
    By Jeremy McGovern posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Equipment
    In 2013, scientists with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) made headlines by making titanium shoes. The buzz wasn't so much that the plates were titanium - after all, shoes have been made from this material before. Instead, it was the process in which they are made.
    Read More
    Sheared heels

    Taking The Load Off Sheared Heels

    Understand what is happening, why it’s happening and how severe the problem is before forming a plan
    By Jeff Cota posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Trimming
    Working in tandem, pressure and time can wreak a lot of havoc. In geology, over time pressure turns sediment to rock, coal to diamond and can create mountains. Pressure in relation to the equine foot can create mountains, too - mountains of problems. One of those problems can be corrected quite nicely, particularly if caught early.
    Read More

    Helping Clients Pay Attention to Nutrition Needs

    Here are 10 easy-to-implement tips to describe to your footcare clients the hows and whys of equine nutrition
    By Jaime Elftman posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Nutrition
    What a horse eats, and even how and when it eats it, largely contributes to the overall health of the horse, including its feet. Poor diet may contribute to an increased risk of laminitis, colic and gastric ulcers, among other health problems, but risk of these ailments can be lowered by properly managing a horse's nutritional program.
    Read More

    Protecting Your Hearing

    While everyone loses some hearing as they age, farriers are at an increased risk for hearing loss if not properly protected
    By Jaime Elftman posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Safety & Healthcare
    Hearing loss is one of the many dangers that farriers face — and one of the easiest to prevent. The ringing of anvils, noise from the grinders and other activities farriers do every day can produce sound far surpassing the level that will make a person deaf over time.
    Read More
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    Hoof-Care Email Q&A

    April 1, 2015 | Posted in Equipment
    As spring and summer weather turns warmer, what's your preferred way to store shoeing glues? What specific steps do you take to ensure that glue consistency and effectiveness won't be compromised? Does the size of the glue container need to be taken into consideration?
    Read More

    25 Quick Tips for Improving a Practice

    Three farriers share ideas for improvement that can be immediately built into a farrier practice
    April 1, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices
    Farriers often look for ways to boost a practice. An idea of improved efficiency can save you time and health. A business tip may help you keep more of your hard-earned money. Often, some ideas are simple and overlooked. The best source is other farriers who have picked them up along the way.
    Read More

    Slip & Grip — It Is A Fine Line

    Understanding how shoe material affects slip and grip influences how much traction a horse needs.
    By Abigail Boatwright posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Equipment, Shoeing
    Even while treading on steady ground, horses slip slightly during their footfall pattern, but it’s not always dangerous. Known as a microslip, this act dissipates energy in the foot. However, making even minute changes to the horse's shoes can have a big impact on the animal’s overall performance and long-term soundness. Consider the pros and cons of adding traction devices to shoes before applying them to avoid detrimental results for the horse.
    Read More
  • Featured Articles

    Featured Articles

    Different Approaches To An Old Problem

    By Red Renchin posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Diseases
    The scenario can begin in different ways. One involves you pulling the shoes, trimming the feet and noticing a small cavity just inside the white line. Picking up a nail, you give it a scratch and a powder-like substance comes out. More scratching leaves you part way up the hoof wall. Another involves having a horse with hoof walls separating in the most distal part of the foot. While probing the separation, you discover that not only is it separated at the bottom, it goes much higher.
    Read More

    Get Help with an Unruly Horse

    A veterinarian describes how the Dormosedan Gel sedative works and gives tips for handling the drug safely and effectively
    By Jaime Elftman posted on April 1, 2015 | Posted in Business Practices, Education
    Though it was first introduced 5 years ago, Zoetis' Dormosedan Gel is still relatively new to many farriers. It is a drug that works to gain a sedated state in horses.
    Read More
  • Online Extras

    Online Extras

    Online Extras: April 2015 Issue

    April 6, 2015

    Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

    • Tool tips from Bob Smith
    • How-to videos regarding hoof packing
    • A laminitic case
    • Additional information on 3D printing
    • 2002 Shoeing For A Living featuring late farrier Carl Hayden

    Read More
    How-To Videos

    How To Pack A Foot

    Manufacturers and suppliers have provided these videos to instruct viewers on how to pack a foot.
    April 6, 2015 | Posted in Education, Equipment
    Manufacturers and suppliers have provided these videos to instruct viewers on how to pack a foot. Share these instructional videos with your clients who will pack their horses' feet.
    Read More
    Old Rasps
    Web-Exclusive Feature

    Repurpose Your Old Tools

    By Jeff Cota posted on April 6, 2015 | Posted in Equipment
    Tools wear out. It’s a fact of life. Rather than tossing them into the scrap heap, save yourself some money and repurpose the tool into something you can use.
    Read More

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Videos

Hoof Care on Parade

Hoof Care on Parade

Greg Martin, CJF, of Boerne, Texas, takes the unique approach of marketing his hoof-care practice with a Christmas parade float in Boerne and Comfort, Texas. The award-winning float boasts a variety of surprising features.

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Events

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Top Directory Listings
Life Data Labs

Life Data Labs Inc

Life Data Labs Inc. is a dedicated product manufacturer committed to producing premium quality animal nutrition and health products through continuous product improvement and new product development. First-class ingredients, fresh products, consistent high quality and scientifically proven effectiveness are the principal features of Life Data Labs animal health products. And that's why they've produced the #1 recommended hoof supplement by farriers for 12 consecutive years.
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Kawell USA

Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
Smart Pak

SmartPak

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.
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